Food Trickery

I was thinking the other day about my culinary apprenticeship days.  Those days inspire a lot of my blogs.  I was surrounded by amazing chefs, people from all different places, and tons of amazing food.  My mind wandered to the tricks we used to play on each other.  When around the same people every day you bond, and become like family.  The best part of having a family is having fun.  Like the time I told a waitress that wasabi was pistachio ice cream, or the time Chef Jay rolled and deep fried a towel to look like a chimichanga, then topped it with queso and a dollop of guacamole, and gave to the wait staff as a treat.  Watching them hungrily try to cut it and eat it was priceless!  I also had some tricks played on me.  A cook put citric acid in my water, it won't hurt you but it's insanely sour.  My fellow apprentices (all boys of course) put a whole sandwich and boiled eggs in my knife box a time I left it unlocked.  The final trick was on my last day of the apprenticeship program I got a goat cheese pie in the face.  I look back on that with fondness.  It was all in good fun.  The recipe I have today is kind of a trick in itself.  It looks harmless but it has good kick to it.  I make this recipe often and my family loves it.  It's a delicious chicken salad with jalapenos and crushed red pepper to give it a kick.  Great on croissants for sandwiches, or on a bed of spinach.  Give this one a try!

Big K's Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad
Makes 1 Quart of Chicken Salad

3        Cups        Shredded Chicken

1/2     Cup          Mayonnaise

1/4     Cup          Pickled Jalapenos, Minced (I like the pickled for the briny flavor)

1/4     Cup          Lime Juice

1/4     Cup          Cilantro, Minced

1/4     Cup          Celery, Minced

4        Each         Green Onions, Minced (Green and White Both)

1        Tsp           Crushed Red Pepper

1/2     Tsp           Cumin, Ground

1        Tsp           Garlic Powder

1        Tsp           Salt

In a large mixing bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken.  Toss the chicken in and mix until all coated.  Let sit in the fridge at least an hour, the longer it sits the spicier it gets!  As a tip for the chicken, my sister just buys a rotisserie chicken from the deli and shreds it up.  If you have raw chicken breasts, cover them in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for about  30 minutes, allow to cool before shredding.  Both options work great in this recipe.  Serve as a salad or on a sandwich and enjoy!  Love as always, "Big K"

Summer Time...and The Salsa's Easy

98 degrees at 10am in June.  Welcome to summer in Oklahoma.  Yes, that was me 3 months ago bitchin' about the cold.  I'm never satisfied.  Aside from the blistering heat, there are plenty of things I love about summer such as poolside sitting, cookouts, and margaritas.  I also love to have friends over for food any chance I get.  I like having get togethers at my place so I control the menu!  Yes I am an OCD control freak, but my house is always clean and the food aplenty.....and tasty if I say so myself!  I really like to make a lot of fresh salads and salsas in the summer when it's hot to keep it light and refreshing.  I love a mayo based side as much as the next guy, but not under the hot sun.  I love salsas because they can be a nice colorful addition to your table with all the fresh fruit and veggies available.  The one I make is full of fresh corn, avocado, and black beans.  Perfect by the pool with tortilla chips and that margarita!!

Black Bean Salsa with Fresh Avocado & Corn
Serves 4

2         Ears             Fresh Corn,
1         Each            Large Tomato
4         Each           Green Onions
1/2      Bunch         Cilantro, Leaves Only
1         Each           Jalapeno, Seeded
1         Each            Large Avocado (unless you are inviting my mom over, then use 2)
2         Cups           Cooked Black Beans, Rinsed (If you only have a can around that would work too)
1/4      Cup            Lime Juice
1/2      Tsp             Cumin
1         Tsp             Salt

Get a bowl ready.  Grab your cutting board.  Lay the corn down and use your knife the cut the corn off each side.  Toss in the bowl.  Finely dice the tomato, green onion, cilantro and jalapeno.  Toss in with the corn.  Cut the avocado in half, pull out the pit, then run your knife down and across the avocado to dice it.  Use a spoon to scoop the diced avocado into the bowl, leaving the skin behind.  Toss in the rinsed beans, lime juice, and spices.  Toss all together and serve with chips!  If you want to make this the night before leave out the avocado until just before serving.  Enjoy!!  Love as Always "Big K"

Food Fail #1

When I try to teach someone about cooking, the first thing I say is that cooking is a series of methods.  Once you learn the basics you can add different ingredients to change it up.  Sometimes, even if you know what you are doing, things can go wrong.  I was working at my first job after culinary school and we made a standard muffin mix.  We added a different ingredient each day to make a "muffin of the day".  I loved making up muffin flavors.  Cranberry-orange, raspberry-white chocolate, blueberry-oat, and so on.  One day I had the idea to make cinnamon-pecan muffins.  We had these amazing rum roasted pecans I was going to use.  I took the mix, folded in the cinnamon and the pecans, then popped them in the oven to bake.  Then, I put them in the warming drawer for the servers and went on my way.  A little later, my chef decided to sneak one for breakfast and I heard my name being shouted across the kitchen, and not in a good way.  I came around the corner to "what the H3$# did you put in these muffins!?"  Come to find out, right next to the rum pecans were spicy cajun pecans we used for salads.  So basically, I put cayenne in the muffins.  Not delicious!  Food Fail!  Even chefs have bad food days, but you fix it and move on.  Now, I make muffins at work all the time...hold the cayenne!  I came up with these banana muffins made with applesauce and pecans.  I love this recipe!  Great for breakfast or for a snack.

Big K's Banana Pecan Muffins
Makes 36 Mini Muffins

2            Each       Overripe Bananas
1/2         Cup        Applesauce
1/2         Cup        Brown Sugar
2            Each       Eggs
1/4         Cup        Melted Butter
1            Tsp         Vanilla
1 1/2      Cup        All Purpose Flour
1/2         Cup        Old Fashioned Oats
1/2         Cup        Pecans
2            Tsp         Cinnamon
2            Tsp         Baking Soda
1/2         Tsp         Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line mini muffin tins with 36 liners.  Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk in the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla until incorporated.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, oats, pecans, cinnamon, soda, and salt.  Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Be careful not to over mix the batter because it can cause the muffins to be tough.  Fill lined muffin tins  almost to the top using a small scoop or spoon.  Bake for 15 minutes until tops are golden and bounce back to the touch.  Or you can do the toothpick trick, if it comes out clean they are done.  Allow to cool then I smother mine in butter and eat 5 more:)  Love as Always, "Big K"